St. Louis

St. Louis is a city and port in the U.S. state of Missouri on the western bank of the Mississippi river. The largest industries in St. Louis include manufacturing, health care, professional services and retail trade. There are 9 Fortune 500 companies located in St. Louis. The city is defined by music and the performing arts, especially its association with blues, jazz, and ragtime. St. Louis is home to the St. Louis Symphony, the second-oldest symphony orchestra in the United States. The Gateway Arch marks downtown St. Louis and a historic center that includes the Federal courthouse where the Dred Scott case was first argued, a newly renovated and expanded public library, major churches and businesses and retail. An increasing downtown residential population has taken to adapted office buildings and other historic structures. In nearby University City is the Delmar Loop, ranked by the American Planning Association as a “great American street” for its variety of shops and restaurants, and the Tivoli Theater, all within walking distance.